Can you buy a White Castle franchise?
Franchise ownership isn’t currently possible for White Castle restaurants, and the company has no plan to offer franchising for the brand in the future. Many investors and food fans alike have wondered why the company hasn’t already offered franchise opportunities.
Is White Castle a fast food chain?
Franchise White Castle is a fast food restaurant chain primarily located in the Midwest and New York state. White Castle’s signature item is tiny, square hamburgers made of 100% USDA beef, which originally sold for just five cents apiece. Due to their size, customers tend to order multiple burgers.
What is White Castle known for?
White Castle is an American regional hamburger restaurant chain with 377 locations across 13 states, with its greatest presence in the Midwest. It has been generally credited as the world's first fast-food hamburger chain. It is known for its small, square hamburgers referred to as " sliders ".
Is the White Castle in Chicago still in business?
The castle-like features mimic Chicago's Water Tower Pumping Station. White Castle no longer operates this building, which is currently an antique shop. White Castle is an American regional hamburger restaurant chain with 377 locations across 13 states, with its greatest presence in the Midwest and New York metropolitan area.
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Can you own a White Castle franchise?
White Castle does not actually franchise, it has subsidiaries that are privately owned. White Castle expands very carefully and deliberately, using earmarked earnings to fund construction and not stretching too far geographically away from the company's resources.
Is White Castle still privately owned?
And to this day, it's still a family-run business since Billy's great-granddaughter Lisa Ingram serves as White Castle's president and CEO. But while McDonald's and the two other burger chains dominate the American landscape, White Castle, with about 375 locations in 14 states, remains a niche chain.
Is White Castle family owned?
White Castle, America's first fast-food hamburger chain, has been making hot and tasty Sliders as a family-owned business for 100 years. Based in Columbus, Ohio, White Castle started serving The Original Slider® in 1921.
Who owns the White Castle chain?
Ingram familyWhite Castle (restaurant)White Castle Building No. 8, originally built in 1936 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and later remodeled. The castle-like features mimic Chicago's Water Tower Pumping Station. White Castle no longer operates this building, which is currently an antique shop.OwnerIngram family15 more rows
What does a White Castle franchise cost?
To become a White Castle store owner, the initial investment is estimated to be between $374,050 and $2.45 million. This includes the cost of setting up the restaurant, purchasing equipment, and stocking the menu. The franchise fee for a store is $30,000.
How many White Castles are there 2022?
368 White Castle locationsThere are 368 White Castle locations in the United States as of August 12, 2022. The state with the most number of White Castle locations in the US is Illinois, with 62 locations, which is about 17% of all White Castle locations in the US.
Why are there 5 holes in White Castle burgers?
The crave-worthy sliders have five holes in the patties. According to CBS News, this is so the burger can be thoroughly cooked through faster without having to flip it over. The idea to incorporate these holes came from an employee suggestion back in 1954.
How much did a White Castle hamburger cost in 1921?
5 centsWhite Castle opened its first restaurant in Wichita, Kansas, in 1921 and sold its burgers for only 5 cents. During the 1930s prices increased slowly.
How much was a White Castle hamburger in 1970?
In 1970, your burger cost an average of $0.18.
Is White Castle burgers horse meat?
"It's called a Meat Horn." White Castle starts with a stack of 100% beef ("We call that a beef log," said Richardson) that then goes through the Meat Horn, which puts the holes in the log. The patties are then sliced and sent out to White Castles across the nation ready to be steamed.
What is the oldest fast food chain?
White CastleMost historians agree that the American company White Castle was the first fast-food outlet, starting in Wichita, Kansas in 1916 with food stands and founding in 1921, selling hamburgers for five cents apiece from its inception and spawning numerous competitors and emulators.
Why are there so few White Castles?
Unlike other burger joints, White Castle's ownership has strict control, even though the restaurant has nationwide marketing and advertising campaigns. White Castles are only available in 11 states, and the company attributes its very controlled growth over time to being family owned.
Who is the current CEO of White Castle?
E. W. Ingram III (1992–)White Castle / CEO
How much did a White Castle hamburger cost in 1921?
5 centsWhite Castle opened its first restaurant in Wichita, Kansas, in 1921 and sold its burgers for only 5 cents. During the 1930s prices increased slowly.
Is White Castle older than McDonald's?
The Columbus, Ohio-based chain is famous for its cheap, small burgers. It's also widely regarded as the first fast-food hamburger chain in the United States. White Castle started in 1921 in Wichita, Kansas — decades before competitors McDonald's or Restaurant Brands International's Burger King arrived on the scene.
What is the difference between White Castle and Krystal burgers?
So if you want a sweet burger, go with White Castle, but for tangy and savory burgers, it's Krystal. The other major difference between the two is the bun, as Krystal feels fuller. However, some folks might prefer White Castle because of its juicy sweet taste, and it is also a few cents cheaper.
Why is White Castle not franchised?
The primary reason provided by the company is that White Castle remains committed to focusing on being the best that it can be instead of worrying about extensive widespread growth. White Castle representatives frequently talk about growing market share, sales and profitability in existing stores, rather than relying on franchise opportunities to grow its numbers.
How many White Castle locations are there?
These days, White Castle has more than 375 locations spread across 13 states. That's obviously a tiny fraction of McDonald's 37,000-plus locations around the globe and Burger King's 13,000 worldwide locations. The company has plans to open a new location in Orlando, Florida, in 2021, expanding the chain to 14 states.
What is the byword for White Castle?
That’s right — “crave” is officially the byword for the brand, and the company loves to make entrepreneurs crave franchise opportunities just as much as customers crave the burgers.
How many calories are in a White Castle hamburger?
Critics of White Castle suggest that its hamburgers aren’t a good part of a sensible diet. However, each burger only has 140 calories each and contains about the same amount of protein as one egg. Eaten in moderation, White Castle burgers don't disrupt your healthy lifestyle and diet.
Where is White Castle hamburgers located?
People on the East Coast and in the Midwest have raved about White Castle restaurants and White Castle hamburgers for years. Today, the family-owned business has expanded its restaurant locations to include cities and towns in the Western U.S. and the South. The company recently launched new restaurants in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Las Vegas.
When did Anderson leave White Castle?
The pair achieved success in the following years, and Anderson ultimately decided to take his share of the profits and leave the business in 1933. Ingram kept the chain going under his family's control until his death in 1966, when his sons took over the chain. Photo Courtesy: Mashed.com. White Castle Locations.
Is White Castle a selective business?
White Castle is fairly selective about how it grows the business and chooses its locations based on significant demographic data. The most recent restaurant openings were based on an understanding of top tourist locations in the U.S. White Castle Products.
How many restaurants will White Castle have in 2020?
While the opening of a couple of restaurants may not sound like news for a branded burger chain, it's worth remembering that when the Forbes piece came out in January 2020, White Castle only had 345 restaurants. To facilitate further openings, White Castle includes a real estate acquisition process on their website.
Where is White Castle in 2021?
On March 16, 2021, Restaurant Business noted that White Castle would soon open a new location in Orlando, Florida. Nor is this an abnormality, as in 2019, White Castle opened a restaurant in Scottsdale, Arizona — the first White Castle in the western half of the United States.
Can you open a White Castle franchise?
However, you can't. The issue with opening a White Castle franchise, unlike with other chains, isn't that it's too expensive for most to open — it's because White Castle doesn't offer franchise agreements to begin with, a fact easily verified with a quick look at their website, which lacks the usually-present franchise information page.
What is White Castle famous for?
The famous hamburger chain White Castle, known for its square-shaped greasy sliders and for being the first fast-food burger chain , was immortalized in the 2004 stoner buddy romp Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle. White Castle's restaurants, modeled after the Chicago Water Tower and traditionally made of porcelain, ...
Why is White Castle not expanding?
Surprisingly, the reason White Castle doesn't expand (and use the franchise model to do so) isn't so much that they hope to keep their restaurants as elusive as the famous Harold & Kumar buddy movie would suggest. It's actually that White Castle's core offering of quality food and semi-localized menu options at low cost demands that its restaurants be located near its supply facilities. And guess what? Building out or sourcing new facilities to support dramatic expansion across the country would require a huge investment (and, most likely, external capital and investor scrutiny). So, don't hold your breath.
Is White Castle a family business?
White Castle is a Family Business. Since opening its doors in 1921, White Castle has found a source of pride in being family-owned and operated. Unlike other burger joints, White Castle’s ownership has strict control, even though the restaurant has nationwide marketing and advertising campaigns.
Is White Castle a franchise?
White Castle, viewed by many as being the original fast food joint, is very open about having no interest in offering franchise opportunities. Despite its founders being credited with inventing the hamburger bun and pioneering the kitchen assembly line model that allowed so many fast food franchise opportunities to thrive, ...
Is White Castle hard to find?
In addition to their unique look and menu, White Castle restaurants are known for being hard to find, as referenced by the epic, night-long journey of our aforementioned stoner pals.So , why is one of the nation’s most talked-about fast food restaurants, with its cult-like following, absolutely nowhere to be found on most street corners? Why haven't White Castle's owners franchised their burger concept, extending their greasy goodness into all corners of the country?
What is White Castle famous for?
The famous hamburger chain White Castle, known for its square-shaped greasy sliders and for being the first fast-food burger chain , was immortalized in the 2004 stoner buddy romp Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle. White Castle's restaurants, modeled after the Chicago Water Tower and traditionally made of porcelain, reflect a clean and consistent aesthetic that speaks to the quality of the food that consumers can expect from each and every visit to this elusive den of tasty sliders.
Why is White Castle not expanding?
Surprisingly, the reason White Castle doesn't expand (and use the franchise model to do so) isn't so much that they hope to keep their restaurants as elusive as the famous Harold & Kumar buddy movie would suggest. It's actually that White Castle's core offering of quality food and semi-localized menu options at low cost demands that its restaurants be located near its supply facilities. And guess what? Building out or sourcing new facilities to support dramatic expansion across the country would require a huge investment (and, most likely, external capital and investor scrutiny). So, don't hold your breath.
Is White Castle owned by McDonald's?
Unlike other burger joints, White Castle’s ownership has strict control, even though the restaurant has nationwide marketing and advertising campaigns. White Castles are only available in 11 states, and the company attributes its very controlled growth over time to being family owned. It has been reported that, on average, White Castle opens just 10 new stores each year (compared to well over a thousand per year for McDonald's).
Does White Castle have a franchise?
Despite its founders being credited with inventing the hamburger bun and pioneering the kitchen assembly line model that allowed so many fast food franchise opportunities to thrive, White Castle franchise opportunities don't exist and the company doesn' t expand at nearly the same rate as other popular restaurants. But with no public shareholders to answer to, White Castle has no external pressure to generate faster rates of growth -- so why rock the boat?
Is White Castle hard to find?
In addition to their unique look and menu, White Castle restaurants are known for being hard to find, as referenced by the epic, night-long journey of our aforementioned stoner pals.So , why is one of the nation’s most talked-about fast food restaurants, with its cult-like following, absolutely nowhere to be found on most street corners? Why haven't White Castle's owners franchised their burger concept, extending their greasy goodness into all corners of the country?
Who was responsible for the success of White Castle?
Ingram's business savvy not only was responsible for White Castle's success but for the popularization of the hamburger. On January 14, 2014, Time labeled the White Castle slider as the most influential burger of all time.
Why did White Castle close?
The company closed the Florida operations in 1967 due to inefficient supply distribution.
How many hamburgers are in a white castle crave case?
White Castle also markets its sandwiches in 30-hamburger boxes, called a Crave Case. The figure of 30 burgers represents the number that can be produced on one of its standard grills at the same time. A "Crave Crate" is also offered, with the contents being 100 burgers.
Where did Ingram's White Castle headquarters relocate?
Ingram decided the central office should be in the center of the distribution area, and in 1936, relocated the central office to Columbus, Ohio. That same year, Ingram decided to close all of the restaurants in the two smallest-profit markets, Wichita and Omaha .
Where was the White Castle in Kansas?
Anderson and Ingram started with only $700 for the original White Castle in Wichita, Kansas. The original location was the northwest corner of First and Main; the building is no longer standing.
When did the White Castle System start publishing its own magazine?
The company also began publishing its own internal employee magazine, the White Castle Official House Organ, circa November 1925 (it was originally named The Hot Hamburger ). The bulk of the material was contributed by company personnel and consisted mostly of letters and photographs of workers, promotional announcements, 25-year milestones, retirements, and similar items of interest arranged by geographic area. "Employees could... read about the progress and innovations made by those in other areas which made everyone aware of the entire system's direction and condition." The White Castle Official House Organ was published quarterly at least through the early 1980s, and at some point was renamed The Slider Times. The Ohio Historical Society houses an extensive archive of White Castle System, Inc. records from 1921 to 1991, including issues dating from 1927 to 1970 of the White Castle Official House Organ.
Is White Castle burger meat free?
In 2018, White Castle began offering meat-free Impossible Burgers designed to closely mimic the flavor and texture of be ef burgers.
